Newcastle United are reported to be plotting to hijack Crystal Palace's proposed move to Yohan Cabaye and bring the France midfielder back to Tyneside on a season-long loan. According to The Daily Star, the Magpies will offer Paris Saint-Germain a £2.5 million loan fee - as well as promising to pay the majority of Cabaye's £85,000-a-week wages - in order to reunite the 29-year-old with the Toon faithful. Cabaye left the Magpies for PSG in January 2014 for £20 million and the Ligue 1 champions hope to recruit half of that sum in a permanent sale of the 38-cap France international midfielder. Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, who are managed by former Magpies boss Alan Pardew, are both said to be willing to match such a fee - and Cabaye has made it clear he wants to return to the Premier League in search of first-team football. Once heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, and also a reported target of Spurs according to The Times, Cabaye has found his gametime limited at the Parc des Princes and now Newcastle have reportedly given him an alternative English destination this summer. Despite making 53 appearances and winning five trophies in 18 months in the French capital, Cabaye has primarily appeared off the bench, something that has adversely affected his international ambitions - and he was even dropped from a couple of recent France squads. The midfielder is therefore exploring his options and it appears a move to south London with Palace could be on the cards. Speaking to Infosport+ a couple of weeks ago, Cabaye revealed his admiration for former boss Pardew. The midfielder said:
"It went very well with him (Pardew, at Newcastle). I enjoyed it with him and he does a great job. "The most important thing is to find fun - if I have to make that decision, it will be a pleasure to see my old coach. "(The Premier) League (is something) I like, (and) the country too. "There may be an opportunity - as there may be others. The important thing is that I will think carefully and make the decision."
Not only is Cabaye keen to join up with his former boss Pardew, the former Lille midfielder is also said to have his heart set on living in London - and that is another reason why he will likely choose Palace over Villa, although Newcastle could now be an alternative option. Cabaye signed for Newcastle from Lille for £4.5 million in the summer of 2011 and went on to make 93 appearances for the Magpies, scoring 18 goals. A firm fans favourite in the North East - he was dubbed Dreamboat by supporters - the Toon faithful would love nothing more than to see him return. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
